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More Than What You Do

Steven Lawson
"Sanctify them in the truth," Jesus says in John 17:17, "your word is truth." Jesus is praying for His followers just before His crucifixion. He is about to experience such depths of agony. He would not waste this time praying for non-essential things. No, to be sanctified by the truth of God through His Word is not optional. It holds so much importance that Jesus spent His final moments laying a prayerful foundation for the sanctification of all who would follow Him. (The quotes below are from Dr. Steven Lawson)

Godliness > Giftedness

When Jesus prays for His followers' sanctification, He is praying that they would be set apart, made more like Him every day. How is this to be? By the work of the Holy Spirit through God's Word, the Bible. Elsewhere in Scripture, God expresses a desire for His followers to cultivate their gifts and talents for His glory. However, this is secondary to the the cultivation of godliness. Godliness is the concern at this hour of Jesus' great sorrow and urgency, and it should be my concern above every other spiritual or earthly thing.

Maturity > Ministry

 Just this last week, we met someone who shared how He came to know Jesus solely through picking up the Bible, reading it, and seeing the Truth therein. What an exciting testimony of how the Bible is "the power of God for salvation" (Romans 1:16). And I can testify that, even without consistent guidance or human teaching, but by the Holy Spirit, "Scripture is profitable for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). I am passionate about the Scriptures and humbled every day that God has called my family into ministry with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Along with that, I am reminded that God's greatest call is to maturity. Without growing up in my faith and understanding, ministry is just a façade of godliness.

Being > Doing

 I desire for every person in the world to have the Bible in their language so that they can experience its saving and maturing power. There are so many (over 200 language groups in Papua New Guinea alone) waiting for the Bible to be translated into their language. As my family and I move forward on this path of service with Wycliffe Bible Translators, it is the truth and importance of the Bible that urges us on. And yet, it is daily attention to the holiness of our God, personal prayer for sanctification, and pressing on to become more like Christ that must be first. Otherwise, we will say, "Lord, Lord, did we not...do many mighty works in Your name?" But He will declare, "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:21-23).